Question

A spotlight is mounted on the eaves of a house 30 feet above the ground. A flower bed runs between the house and the​ sidewalk, so the closest the ladder can be placed to the house is 16 feet. How long a ladder is needed so that an electrician can reach the place where the light is​ mounted?

Answer 1

Answer:

The ladder should be 34 feet long.

Step-by-step explanation:

The height of the spotlight above ground = 30 feet

The base of the ladder will be = 16 feet from the base of house

We can easily assume this to be a right triangle with perpendicular as 30 feet and base as 16 feet and we have to find the hypotenuse.

Lets say the length of the ladder or hypotenuse is = x

We will apply Pythagoras theorem here.

$30^{2} +16^{2} =x^{2}$

=> $900+256 =x^{2}$

=> $1156 =x^{2}$

=> $x=\sqrt{1156}$

So, x = 34

Hence, the ladder should be 34 feet long.